Newly promoted Kabras Sugar RFC moved into 4th spot after a 45-27 win over Impala at the Kakamega Show grounds.
It was a historic weekend for Kabras who continue with their impressive debut season in the top flight. I don’t remember a team in it’s first season putting together such a run, at least not in my time.
The result of the weekend however witnessed at the Impala grounds, where Strathmore staged one of the best come backs in recent times. Trailing 22-8 at half time, the Leos showed great character to snatch a 23-22 win from the jaws of defeat.
Ken Andola would score the first and last points in an engulfing match as he put the Leos ahead from a drop goal. From this point it was all Kulabu, after Strathmore’s Charles Omondi was sent to the bin. Tries from Mark Okwaro, Hyke Otieno and Dan Sikuta coupled by a penalty from Chris Asego handed the black shirts a healthy 22-3 lead with the half time break fast approaching.
Mike Wanjala would hand the Leos a life line just before the breather, touching down to make it 22-8. The tables were turned in the second half as the Leos went for what many would have considered mission impossible. A push over try from a maul saw that gap trimmed to seven points at 22-15 after a successful conversion.
Billy Odhiambo’s unconverted try would then make it a two point affair as Mwamba seemed to have folded. Ken Andola would then wrap up the match from a penalty in the closing stages, the Leos holding on for a 23-22 win over Mwamba.
In other results Nakuru registered a 39-6 win over Western Bulls to climb to the summit of the standings, albeit on points differential. On the other side of the table, Machine moved out of last place after claiming their first win of the season, a 43-0 win over Mombasa at the Mombasa Sports Club. Blak Blad were 33-12 winners against campus rivals Catholic Monks.
Leonard Mugaisi and Alvin Otieno both landed braces as Homeboyz registered a 36-22 result over the Kenya Harlequins at the Lion’s den. Bush Mwale scored the other try for Homeboyz in that match, with William Mawira, Arthur Ochieng and Bernard Nyambok going over for the quartered shirts.
At the same venue, KCB had to dig deep before coming out with a 24-10 win over Nondies in the battle of the Lions. The match was finely poised at the half time break with the score tied at 5-5, despite Nondies playing with 14 men for a 10 minute duration in that half, after Ben Nyambu was sent to the bin.
KCB were letting some guilt edged chances slip by, taking nothing away from a Nondies side that was very solid in defence. The game did eventually open up for the Lions in green as they scored three converted tries in the second half to the red’s unconverted try making the final score 24-10.
What an opening to the year, if it is anything to go by, then we are in for a cracker in the last half of the season. The battle for the play off positions seems like it will go to the wire with up to seven sides in with a realistic chance to grab those four precious slots.
The relegation battle is also just as interesting with Mombasa yet to pick up any log points this season. They look to be on the way back to the Nationwide with Machine and Catholic the sides battling for top flight survival.
You can view the standings after match day 7 here..
Collated Match Day 7 results :
Harlequins 22-36 Homeboyz
KCB 24-10 Nondies
Monks 12-33 Blak Blad
Strathmore Leos 23-22 Mwamba
Mombasa 0-43 Mean Machine
Nakuru 39-6 Western Bulls
Kabras 45-27 Impala
KWISHA….Nimeruka Nje!!!
